#clue.starter

“Dung delivery!” He yells familiarly from the open window of his truck, honking his horn in greeting as he pulls up to her property. The bed is full of industrial sized sacks of sheep shit, home grown fertilizer, which he always has the pleasure of delivering to Ariel personally every few months when his comport bins turned over. He puts it in park when he gets in close enough enough, and get out. “Come on, green bean. Where’s your wheelbarrow? I have hungry sheep to feed, let’s unload this stuff.” 

It was ten in the morning and the gossip mill was running as quick as a hamster did on their wheel. Something about city hall and Instagram, Vanessa Perry couldn’t resist scrolling through her phone as she stuffed crispy hashbrowns in her mouth. He is the man who sees. The fuck did that even mean? The timing of it all seemed a bit insidious. “Who you think did it?” She leaned over the table and flipped her phone to show the person sitting across from her, arm just a bit constricted in her uniform. “And what is the point, like are they trying to scare out our tourists because I don’t think it’s doing shit.”

“There was a call about bears this morning,” she says casually. Marble barely lifts her head from under Perion’s chair, but her tail wags when she sees Forrest. “The Caller wanted to make sure we knew that they were around north trail, but that no one was actually in any danger.” She sips at her travel mug of tea and glances back at the wall of cameras she’s watching, the channels changing between human and animal feeds. “Should we consider putting up signs to inform hikers? Better safe than sorry.”

Before she can decide though, she turns around to the sound of the cart’s subtle engine and the woman’s muttered disdainful comment as she guides the cart away and out of Juliet’s reach. She makes two steps into the aisle, utterly baffled. “What are you doing!?” she says loudly, the woman replies with a disdainful muttering. “You’re just messing around! You don’t need this! I saw you walk! You’re a faker!” Juliet gapes at her. “Excuse me! Bring me back my cart, that’s absolutely none of your goddamn business!” She absolutely refuses to chase this woman down. Especially because she’s having a bad pain day. Her can and purse are still on the cart. “You’re not the fucking cart authority, bring that back!” she shouts.

“Hey!” she shouts, though not unkindly, she’s trying to get the girl’s attention. “If you don’t have a whole bunch of bells on your bag  and bear mace you’d better not take the north trail this week. Rangers said we’ve got bears.” It isn’t uncommon for hikers to pass the camp, to get to some hiking spots, but residents are allowed to access the starting points on camp property. She’d been shouting the same warning at everyone who came by who might look unequipped. The routes themselves aren’t very treacherous, but she wouldn’t want the any unfortunate wild life encounters if she can help it.